Do you prime before you assemble?

painting

New member
Do you prime your miniature before you assemble it with all the parts attached or do you put it together and then prime it?
 

pae

New member
unless you plan on painting the parts separately, assemble first, and then prime.
 

Necroghast

New member
Whatever you do, don't prime them on the sprue. If you do when you cut the pieces off you'll have to paint over the bits you cut. I often cut off the pieces, trim the mold lines/flash, then assemble the easy bits leaving off the pieces that would create spaces hard to reach with a brush. Those, I stick a pin in an inconspicuous spot and then attach them to something like a cork for priming. I can then paint everything in that way and assemble it when all the pieces are finished. So it's a mix, some pieces you assemble some you don't.
 

Einion

New member
Simple figures can be painted fully assembled because the design is 'open' enough to still give brush access to everything you can see.

Remember though: just 'cause you can see it doesn't mean you can paint it. So for something more complex you might need to do a partial assembly, prime this and all the separate parts (e.g. one arm, a scabbard, shield) and then paint and finish the assembly. Wearing gloves to handle the bits can be a good idea to help prevent glossy spots on the painted surfaces.

Einion
 

MRickwood

New member
Would have to agree

Assemble and then prime.

If painting for a painting for competition more then likely would do as Einion stated. If mini's are being painted for gaming, even painting to a high quality, its just so much easier to assemble and prime.

That's my two bits worth.
 

nels0nmac

Member
I tned to assemble as much as possible and then prime. If there are areas that would be hard or near impossible to paint around/under - space marine backpacks are an easy example - then I will leave them off and paint them seperately and stick them on when done. Experience will let you know whether to stick or not.
 
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